Convertible bench.



. T. BAYARD.

CONVERTIBLE BENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. I918.

1 %8,5&@ Patented June 4,1918.

12 I Wlmesse 5% J W of. I M QM wswmv m/fi zw THEOPHILE BAYABJ), OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVERTIBLE BENCH.

Application filed March 18, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnorrrrnn BAYARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Benches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding mnnerals of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap convertible seat or bench which may be so constructed that the supporting legs thereof may be variably adjusted in their relation to the body portion so that they may be utilized as supporting standards from beneath to support the body at varying heights according to the manner of adjustment, or as suspending elements from above. To these ends, my invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation of the device as it would appear when adjusted for use as a bench.

Fig. 2, is a transverse section of a bathtub in which said device is shown inverted and the legs utilized as suspending means.

Fig. 3, is an elevation showing the legs in a reversed position to vary the relative height of the seat.

Fig. 4, is a plan showing a portion of the seat and the means for connecting the legs therewith, and

Fig. 5, is an end elevation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the body or seat portion of my improved device which may consist of an ordinary slab-like member such as a board or plank. Said body is cut away upon opposite sides at each end as shown at 2, for the purpose of forming shoulders or abutments 3 arranged obliquely to the plane of the board, the shoulders at opposite ends being in downwardly converging planes when the body is in the normal position shown in Fig. 1. Transverse grooves 4, one of which is shown in Fig. 4, are formed in the top of the body 1, so that their inner edges may be in substantial alinement with the upper ends or faces of the abutments 3. These grooves A form counterpart bearings for the recep- Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Serial No. 223,143.

tion of the pivotal ends 5, of bent leg-members having depending portions 6. Each of said leg-members is preferably formed from a steel wire or rod and is bent in substantially quadrilateral form when viewed from the end as indicated iii-Fig. 5. Said leg-members when viewed from the side have the upper parts of the straight portions 6, arranged to bear against the abutments 3, and when so adjusted, the straight portions of the counterpart members are caused to converge toward each other as shown in Fig. 1. The lower portions of said members are curved outwardly in opposite directions as shown at 7, and thence upwardly and downwardly in turn,'to provide separate bearing points upon a horizontal supporting surface, one of said points being at the base of the curve 7 and the other at the outer end of the downward curve. The horizontal end portions 5, are arranged substantially parallel to a transverse base portion 8, Fig. 5, which serves as a transverse brace to stiffen and support the upright 6. The parts 5, which are bent toward each other from opposite directions and are loosely journaled in the grooves 4, are secured in place by means of sheet metal plates 9, preferably having counterpart grooves or channels 10, to receive said ends. Said plates are extended across the part 1 at the ends and are rigidly secured thereto by means of screws or rivets 11.

In order to hold the legs in place against the abutments 3, so as to permit the bench to be moved without causing displacement, I provide small lugs or projections 12, upon each cut-away portion 2, adjacent to the leg-member 6, so that when the leg tends to swing upon its pivot away from the abutments 3, it will be arrested by said lugs and retained in place. The lugs 12, are so formed however, that the legs, being held against the surfaces 2 by resilient action, are free to pass over said lugs so that when suflicient force is applied the legs may be reversed and placed in any desired position. This construction enables the body mem her 1 to be inverted and the legs to be adjusted as suspending members over a bathtub 18, Fig. 2, whereby the part 1 may be utilized as a seat, or the legs may be adjusted as in Fig. 1, so'as to form an opposing bracing action, which would in turn, be supplemented by the two-point bearing of the respective legs upon the ground. By journaling the legs in the upper surface, rather than beneath the -body member '1, I am enabled to utilize the body itself to form said shoulders. I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown inasmuch as it may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention. I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a slab-like body member cut away upon opposite sides at the respective ends to form abutmcnts, those at opposite ends being arranged at converging angles with respect to each other, legs j ournaled upon horizontal axes transverse to and at each end of said body, the same be ing substantially in the plane of the upper surface of said body, whereby the legs, when inclined toward each other may engage said abutments and be braced thereby.

2. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a slab -like body member cut away upon opposite sides at the respective ends to form abutments, the abut-f ments at one end being arranged in a plane oblique to that of said body member while those at the end are in a plane of like obliquity but reversed with respect to their fellows, legs at opposite ends of said body j ournaled upon transverse axes substantially in the plane of the upper surface of said body and in position to engage said abutments to support said body while standing in oppositely inclined positions.

3. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a slab-like body member cut away upon opposite sides at the respective ends to form leg-supporting abutments, the abutments at opposite ends being arranged in converging planes oblique to that of said body member, legs at opposite ends of said body journaled upon transverse axes substantially in the plane of the upper surface of said body, said legs being in engaging contact with said abutments when the former are adjusted to supporting positions and means upon said outaway portions for yieldingly holding said legs in contact with said abutments.

A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a slab-like body member cut away upon opposite sides at the respective ends to form leg-supporting abutments, the abutments at opposite ends being arranged in converging planes oblique to that of said body member, legs at opposite ends of said body, said legs having pivotal portions arranged transversely of said body and supporting portions bent at substantially right angles thereto, said pivotal portions being arranged transversely of said body substantially in the plane of the upper surface thereof, and said supporting portions being adjacent to said cut-away portions and in operative proximity to said abutments, whereby said legs may be moved axially and adjusted to varying predetermined positions.

5. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a slab-like body member cut away upon opposite sides at the respective ends to form leg-supporting abutments, the cut-away portions upon opposite sides being parallel to each other, legs at opposite ends of said body, said legs having,

pivotal portions arranged transversely of said body, the main or supporting portions of said legs being bent at substantially right angles thereto and in engaging relation to said abutments and laterally projecting lugs upon said cut-away portions for engaging said legs when in supporting positions to yieldingly hold them against said ab-utments, said legs being formed of resilient material to permit them to spread and pass over said abutments when force is applied thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this fourteenth day of March,

THEOPHILE BAYARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

